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PEORIA — The SPHL will have 11 active teams in the 2026-27 season, with the addition of a new organization from northeast Georgia.
The Athens Rock Lobsters are moving up from the low-A Federal Prospects Hockey League to join the high-A SPHL lineup.
The SPHL is also adding Mobile, Alabama, to its league lineup, although that team will not play until 2027-28, when work on a new arena is finished.
"We're always excited for the growth of our league," Peoria Rivermen co-owner Bart Rogers said. "Especially into a place with a new building, and great ownership. Athens has all the attributes to be successful."
The league is still working on whether there will he a dispersal draft for the incoming Rock Lobsters team.
The Rock Lobsters play in Akins Ford Arena, an 8,000-seat facility in downtown Athens that opened in 2024.
The team's name is homage to the market's music scene and the song "Rock Lobster" by The B-52s.
It is owned by Spire Motorsports, a NASCAR race team that also owns class-AA ECHL teams Rapid City, Greenville and Trois-Rivieres (Quebec).
The team president is Scott Hull, and the vice president is Bob McNamara.
The latter is the former general manager of two-time SPHL champion Evansville, and has a long pro hockey resume that includes president/GM/governor roles with the former Quad City Mallards, Hamilton (AHL), Grand Rapids (AHL) and Cleveland (IHL) teams.
Athens went 44-11-1 as a division champion in the FPHL this season before elimination in the first round of the playoffs. Its roster included former Rivermen center John Kaljian.
"On behalf of the Board of Governors, I am excited to welcome Athens to the SPHL," SPHL commissioner Doug Price said. "From their first season, the Rock Lobsters have demonstrated what a successful franchise looks like: Strong ownership, a fantastic arena, and a passionate fan base.
"Athens has already shown its commitment to delivering an outstanding hockey product and a memorable game-day atmosphere. We are excited about what the future holds as they begin play in our league next season."
The SPHL could be headed into a growth era as the minor-league pro hockey landscape changes. The class-AA ECHL has capped its membership at 32 teams, so groups seeking to operate teams are turning to the SPHL.
The FPHL – which is mostly concentrated in the northeast and southeast regions of the country, with some exceptions in the Midwest – has recently launched an expansion effort to California. That will make it a more expensive league to operate in than the SPHL.
"This is an incredibly exciting moment for the Athens Rock Lobsters and for the city of Athens," Hull said. "From the day we announced this franchise, our goal has been to build something that reflects the energy and spirit of this community while delivering high-level professional hockey. Moving into the SPHL represents the next chapter of that vision."
The SPHL – formerly known as the Southern Professional Hockey League – has seen its President's Cup championship won by Peoria and Evansville for three straight seasons and four of the last five.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star senior writer and sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Rivermen get new SPHL opponent from Georgia
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The Athens Rock Lobsters are moving up from the low-A Federal Prospects Hockey League to join the high-A SPHL lineup.
The SPHL is also adding Mobile, Alabama, to its league lineup, although that team will not play until 2027-28, when work on a new arena is finished.
"We're always excited for the growth of our league," Peoria Rivermen co-owner Bart Rogers said. "Especially into a place with a new building, and great ownership. Athens has all the attributes to be successful."
The league is still working on whether there will he a dispersal draft for the incoming Rock Lobsters team.
The Rock Lobsters play in Akins Ford Arena, an 8,000-seat facility in downtown Athens that opened in 2024.
The team's name is homage to the market's music scene and the song "Rock Lobster" by The B-52s.
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Who owns the Lobsters?
It is owned by Spire Motorsports, a NASCAR race team that also owns class-AA ECHL teams Rapid City, Greenville and Trois-Rivieres (Quebec).
The team president is Scott Hull, and the vice president is Bob McNamara.
The latter is the former general manager of two-time SPHL champion Evansville, and has a long pro hockey resume that includes president/GM/governor roles with the former Quad City Mallards, Hamilton (AHL), Grand Rapids (AHL) and Cleveland (IHL) teams.
Athens went 44-11-1 as a division champion in the FPHL this season before elimination in the first round of the playoffs. Its roster included former Rivermen center John Kaljian.
"On behalf of the Board of Governors, I am excited to welcome Athens to the SPHL," SPHL commissioner Doug Price said. "From their first season, the Rock Lobsters have demonstrated what a successful franchise looks like: Strong ownership, a fantastic arena, and a passionate fan base.
"Athens has already shown its commitment to delivering an outstanding hockey product and a memorable game-day atmosphere. We are excited about what the future holds as they begin play in our league next season."
More expansion could be on the way
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The SPHL could be headed into a growth era as the minor-league pro hockey landscape changes. The class-AA ECHL has capped its membership at 32 teams, so groups seeking to operate teams are turning to the SPHL.
The FPHL – which is mostly concentrated in the northeast and southeast regions of the country, with some exceptions in the Midwest – has recently launched an expansion effort to California. That will make it a more expensive league to operate in than the SPHL.
"This is an incredibly exciting moment for the Athens Rock Lobsters and for the city of Athens," Hull said. "From the day we announced this franchise, our goal has been to build something that reflects the energy and spirit of this community while delivering high-level professional hockey. Moving into the SPHL represents the next chapter of that vision."
The SPHL – formerly known as the Southern Professional Hockey League – has seen its President's Cup championship won by Peoria and Evansville for three straight seasons and four of the last five.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star senior writer and sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Rivermen get new SPHL opponent from Georgia
Continue reading...
